The invention relates to a display arrangement for fading optical information into an observer's field of view.
A display arrangement of this generic type is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,477, and further technical environment is provided in German Patent Document DE 40 09 947 A1 and German Patent Document DE 196 20 658 A1. U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,477, however, relates particularly to the optical construction of the picture transmission device. The manner of fastening and adjusting the display arrangement in front of the eye is not discussed.
Furthermore, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,585,871; 5,266,977; and 4,796,987 disclose display arrangements for fading optical information into an observer's field of view, in which glass fiber optical waveguides are provided for picture transmission between a picture source and an eyepiece. Such glass fiber optical waveguides are disadvantageous due to safety considerations, and the risk of breakage.
It is an object of the invention to provide a flexible display arrangement with simple adjusting possibilities.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the display arrangement for fading optical information into an observer's field of view according to the invention, which has a picture source, a picture transmission device and an eyepiece. This display arrangement can be worn on the head and, for this purpose, preferably has a fastening device which interacts, for example, with a spectacle frame, a head band or a helmet.
At least a part of the picture transmission device consists of a fiber optics section which comprises a bundle of acrylic optical waveguides that are flexible, and not fragile. This fiber optics section is at least partially surrounded by a material, preferably metal, which is bendable and which remains in the shape assumed as a result of the bending (mechanical memory effect) . The sheathing according to the invention is preferably an aluminum tube which is glued together with the fiber optics section.
This invention provides a simple and cost-effective adjusting device of the eyepiece in front of the eye.
According to a feature of the invention, an adjusting mechanism is provided between the picture source and the picture transmission device, for securing the picture transmission device in its momentary (axial) position after a torsion movement in the fiber optics section. In this manner, the picture which appears before the eye by way of the eyepiece, can be rotated by a torsion of the fiber optics section. This permits a simple and optimal alignment of the picture.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the eyepiece has optical elements and a setting mechanism for setting the optical elements. Here, the optical elements preferably have lenses, the setting mechanism preferably being a rotatable ring for setting the focus. As a result, the clarity of the picture can be adjusted directly at the eyepiece.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.